Elise Downing

Elise Downing is a British endurance runner, author, and speaker known for her refreshing honesty, humour, and inspirational storytelling. As a speaker, she brings audiences along on her journey of extraordinary personal transformation, using her own experiences to challenge perceptions of resilience, self-belief, and adventure. Elise connects powerfully with both corporate and educational audiences, encouraging people to embrace discomfort, take risks, and start before they feel ready. With a down-to-earth style and infectious energy, she proves that high performance doesn’t have to look like perfection—it just has to start somewhere.

After graduating and landing what many would consider a dream job in London, Elise soon realised she felt unfulfilled and adrift. Rather than stay comfortable, she made the bold decision to quit her job and run around the entire coast of Great Britain—a 5,000-mile self-supported challenge she undertook with little long-distance running experience. Her journey, which began in 2015, lasted 301 days and made her the youngest person and first woman to complete the UK coastal run. Along the way, Elise relied on the kindness of strangers, carried her own kit, and faced unpredictable weather and terrain. Her story quickly captured public imagination, not for elite athleticism, but for her determination, humour, and unshakeable grit.

Since completing her run, Elise has become a sought-after voice in motivational and corporate speaking. In 2021, she published ‘Coasting’, her bestselling memoir that was named one of The Times’ Best Sports Books of the Year. She has also delivered a popular TEDx talk, “Just Run The First Mile,” in which she explores the power of simply getting started—however daunting the goal may seem. Elise now speaks to organisations, schools, and leadership teams, delivering engaging talks on resilience, mindset, and overcoming imposter syndrome with actionable takeaways and an uplifting message.

Elise is hired not only because of her incredible achievements, but because of her ability to make high performance feel human, accessible, and even joyful. She strips away the façade of perfection and replaces it with courage, consistency, and connection—making her the ideal speaker for teams who want to shift their mindset, stretch beyond comfort zones, and build momentum in the face of uncertainty.